1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a surgical instrument assembly primarily designed for the attachment of blood vessel sections in a manner which assures proper placement and maintenance of open ends of vessel sections to be attached in a properly exposed and attachable position for the application of sutures or like connecting means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vascular surgery or surgery involving blood vessels including both veins and arteries is commonly recognized in the medical profession as being difficult. Such difficulty is due in large part to the fragile nature of the structure of blood vessels and also to the extremely small size of such vessels. Accordingly, instruments including vascular clamps have to be constructed and applied with great precision in order to prevent damage or destruction of portions of the blood vessel being manipulated.
Vascular surgery dealing with the attachment or reconnection of blood vessel sections is particularly difficult and frequently time-consuming due to the extreme care which must be taken in the location, positioning and maintenance of vessel sections to be attached in proper position with one another. More specifically, open ends of separated vessel sections must be disposed in aligned and engaging relation to one another and further, such open ends must be maintained in an attachable position or engagement with one another and properly exposed so that the surgeon can suture such open ends together or apply other connectng means. In order to accomplish such positioning and maintenance of the open ends in properly exposed position, many instruments currently in use in the performing of such surgical techniques are less than totally satisfactory.
Accoringly, there is a recognized need in the medical profession for proper surgical instrumentation particularly designed and constructed for the positioning and maintenance of blood vessel sections and open ends thereof in an attachable position which is readily exposed for the application of sutures and like connecting means to the open ends.